The Legend of Zelda: The Chain of Hylia
by Calibr886
Summary: Turns out everyone works for someone. There was always someone bigger; someone pulling the strings. Someone even Ganon feared. One hero wouldn't cut it this time, so the goddesses put together their biggest plan... and their biggest gamble. Link gets by with a little help from his friends.
1. Chapter 1

"Have you ever sat back and wondered about the power of a name?"

Link looked at the princess quizzically.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm serious."

"I'm not sure I understand, m'lady."

"Always so formal. You don't always have to stand on ceremony with me, Link, especially when it's just the two of us."

"As you wish, my pr- Zelda. Still, I'm not sure I understand your question."

"Well… Do you ever wonder why, in Hyrule's long and storied history, no one has ever thought to change the name of the princess? I'm a descendent of the first princess, whose name was Zelda, and every princess before me has been named Zelda. Do you think there's power in that name? Or is it simply tradition?"

"People are not usually concerned with what I think, princess… Zelda, I mean."

"You're terrible at this. But what about you? You're the descendent of the Hero, are you not? And named Link, just as every Hero before you has been named Link. Is there power in that name? Or is this simply something we do, not really knowing why?"

"I -"

"Do people expect great things from us because of our namesake? Are you meant to be a hero once more? Am I meant to keep Hyrule in a golden age of peace?"

"Your wisdom belies your age, your grace, but perhaps I am the wrong person to consult on matters such as these. I am simply the captain of the guard; I fear my wisdom is limited to using a pointy object to stab or shoot. Perhaps I should fetch one of your advisors…"

"No, Link. I want to talk to YOU - Not Link, the captain of the guard. I want to talk to my friend. For Farore's sake, we grew up together, Link, and we never worried about all the ceremony or politics of royalty until recently. Can you talk to me as a friend? Can you talk to me without worrying about my title?"

"Forgive me… Zelda. What's really bothering you?"

"Politics. Economy. Social interactions. Ceremony. Hidden agendas. That is all I have known since I was brought into the castle. My advisors are only concerned with the political side of running a kingdom. But what about the personal side? Answer this question for me, Link: WHO am I supposed to be? Can I live up to the responsibility of being the ruler of Hyrule? I am one person in charge of an entire kingdom. Can I make the right decisions? And for that matter, who are YOU going to be? Don't try to be coy, Link, I know you're not an idiot. Someone named Link doesn't just live a normal life like everyone else - every time a Link has been born, there's been a reason to need one. And it's that thought that scares me the most, Link. What will become of us? What will become of you? What if Ganon comes back, or any of the other countless evils from before? WHAT IF I CAN'T LIVE UP TO MY HERITAGE?!"

Link stood in the doorway, silently staring at the princess. He was stunned. He had no idea this is why he had been summoned, and had barely made it through the door before the princess had begun to open up to him. He had never seen the princess overwhelmed so, and he wasn't sure what he could do to help ease her mind. But the princess needed him, so he would do everything he could to help her. He thought for what seemed like an eternity before an idea finally manifested itself. Slowly he unlatched his shield from his back, letting the polished silver point fall to the floor. He then unbuckled the scabbard for his sword and let it fall next to the shield where it lay. He would not approach the princess as a warrior here - instead as a friend.

"Come on. Let's take a walk."

The two childhood friends walked through the castle, smiling at the strong grey walls that stood as a constant reminder of stability amidst Hyrule's chaotic past. They waved at commoners as they passed, dodging children as they played and giving affirming smiles to the shopkeepers in the marketplace. As they crossed the castle's heavy wooden gates, the beauty of Hyrule Field lay before them. The sun was at its peak and lit the rolling emerald hills with almost a divine light. They could see the cuccos playing in the distance at the banks of Lake made their way westward toward Lake Hylia to a particular hill, one of the tallest in the field, where they used to sit and talk and watch the clouds pass by.

Link and Zelda sat down on top of the hill and looked over the grassy knolls that made up Hyrule Field. As Link sat down, he pulled out a lyre.

"Honestly, Link, could you be more predictable? A warrior with a sword, a shield, and a song. I suppose you're going to sing me a lullaby now?"

Link chuckled as he tuned his lyre. "What's your favorite story? Of the heroes, I mean."

"Hmm… Oh, I love the one about the transformed princess! That one just feels so romantic."

"Ah, that's a great one."

Link began to play his lyre, picking a melancholy tune dark as night as he began to sing to Princess Zelda the tale of the Hero Chosen by the Gods:

 _Once upon a peaceful morning wi - thin Hyrule's great land  
_ _A budding young hero adorned in green raced through tracks of sand;  
_ _Assigned a task to deliver treasure to the great throne.  
_ _Our hero, after saving a child, gets ambushed while riding alone.  
_ _Awakened in the Spirit Spring, young Link finds a wall of grey;  
_ _Imprisoned inside and transformed, where night has been made of day._

 _The Hero Chosen by the Gods to save Hyrule from twilight;  
_ _With padded foot in darkness, with leather boot in light  
_ _Will save the twilight princess and the ruler of this land  
_ _With shadow jewels, a sword of light, and a glow upon his hand._

As Link continued to play, his accompaniment on the lyre changed from a dreary dirge to an adventurous anthem:

 _Fair princess of light, to save another, gave of her own life;  
_ _So noble heroes of dark and light traverse the kingdom of strife.  
_ _Into the desert Gerudo land they search for a looking glass,  
_ _As one thought dead uses his power the sages to harass.  
_ _He shatters and scatters the mirror, his vict'ry all but won;  
_ _But the Hero Chosen by the Gods has more courage than anyone._

 _The Hero Chosen by the Gods to save Hyrule from twilight;  
_ _With padded foot in darkness, with leather boot in light  
_ _Will save the twilight princess and the ruler of this land  
_ _With shadow jewels, a sword of light, and a glow upon his hand._

Now reaching the climax of the tune, Link's lyre moved into a strong major tone, highlighting a heroic ballad recounting the glory of victory:

 _Now battling the Lord of Twilight, the mirror now restored,  
_ _The Hero defeats the evil Zant with his legendary sword.  
_ _Now on to battle Ganondorf with glowing hand of power,  
_ _The gods' hero defeats great evil in this, his finest hour.  
_ _Order restored and the princess saved, the hero disappears  
_ _Leaving his sword and his legend, which we remember through the years._

 _The Hero Chosen by the Gods to save Hyrule from twilight;  
_ _With padded foot in darkness, with leather boot in light  
_ _Will save the twilight princess and the ruler of this land  
_ _With shadow jewels, a sword of light, and a glow upon his hand._

Zelda was enamored by Link's song, and when he finished, she giggled and clapped with the giddiness of a young girl dreaming of her hero come to save her. "Bravissimo! I love that story!" she squealed with glee. "And might I add, you sang beautifully, maestro."

A slight blush appeared on Link's cheeks and he smiled. "Thank you. I had hoped to raise your spirits."

"If only a short distraction, it was certainly a welcome one. It reminded me of when we were kids, sitting on this very hill and telling each other our favorite stories of Hyrule until sunset."

"And look now, princess, the sun begins to set."

Together they sat and watched the sky burst with pinks, purples, and oranges as the sun melted into the horizon. They marveled at the growing darkness of the night sky and the appearance of the first few stars. And after trying to spot a few constellations, even though they only really knew of the Hero's Belt, they stood and gazed wistfully at the sky, preparing to take the long walk back to the glowing castle.

"I fear you put too much pressure on yourself, my princess," Link said soberly as he continued to gaze at the heavens. "Your greatest power is not your name, it is your memory. Remembering the stories like the one I sang to you, in which the princess sacrificed everything she could for her people; remembering times like these, when you comfort and are comforted. These are the things that will make you a great princess - you will strive to comfort others, including your subjects. You will keep the kingdom at peace because you realize that the kingdom is not a thing: it is people. Try not to trouble yourself with silly things other people will fight over, like politics. Simply do what is right: comfort the kingdom."

"I covet your advice, captain. Thank you. It is truly by accepting the wisdom of others that one can truly become wise. And Link?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for your friendship."

"Of course, my princess."

They had no awkward silences nor any drawn out gazes into each other's eyes; simply an honest smile as they turned back towards the castle. They hadn't made it more than a few steps, however, when Link suddenly stopped.

"I must apologize, princess. I don't quite feel myself."

"Are you well?"

"Yes, I think so, I likely just - ARGH!"

Suddenly Link collapsed and fell petrified onto the grass. He hit the slope of the hill with an audible thud and rolled chaotically down the hill until coming to a rest at the base. Zelda trailed after him, going as quickly yet carefully as she could. When she reached the base of the hill, she dropped to her knees and huddled over Link.

"Link! Are you alright?"

"My arm is burning - it feels like it's on fire!"

"I should fetch a healer! I promise I'll be right -" Zelda's voice trailed off as she gazed down at Link's left arm. She now saw why his arm was burning, but she could not believe her eyes. Link met her gaze, and followed it down his arm.

There, on the back of Link's left hand, had appeared a triangle, glowing bright with a yellow light.

The goddesses had awakened the Triforce within Link.


	2. Chapter 2

As the sun began to set in Hyrule, the golden dunes of Gerudo Desert became sapphire. A dark figure shielded himself from the sands as he crossed the sandy hills, wary of the behavior of the desert; it seemed to have a life of its own, ever changing like the waves of the ocean or the flickering flames of a fire. Even the temple housed at the center of the desert was said to move like a spirit over the dunes. It was utterly impossible to navigate, unless the person traversing the sands already knew where he was going.

As the hooded figure trudged heavily through the rivers of sand, he stopped periodically to look up at the freshly appearing stars, occasionally changing his course. Finally he stepped down on flat, solid ground and he knew he had reached his destination. As he looked up before him, he smirked and began striding with purpose towards the great stone mausoleum that towered above him. As he barreled through the massive stone doors leading to the inner sanctum, an angry sneer wiped across his face. Time was short, and there was much to do. He stumbled like a darknut to the back of the massive structure, where there sat a pair of sarcophagi. Before one lay an eternal flame, waving and flickering like the heat of the desert at midday. Before the other lay a blue flame of ice, cold and still as the wasteland at midnight. The hooded figure approached the two coffins, letting a single tear fall down his strong cheek. He removed his hood, allowing it to fall lightly onto his broad, powerful shoulders. The strong profile of his nasal crown seemed to glow in the moonlight, yet his dark green skin blended with the darkness of night.

"Koume… Kotake… Mothers," he said as he bowed his head, his fiery red hair glowing in the light of the elegiac flame before him, "It is not right to see you like this. I will bring you back." He gazed down at the twin tombs with sadness and extended his right arm above his head. As he raised his arm, a bright yellow glow emitted from the back of his right hand - the Triforce of Power. Suddenly he stopped and spun around; something was not right here.

"As I live and breathe! You… live and breathe," a strange voice echoed through the halls of the mausoleum.

"You defile this sacred temple! Show yourself!"

"I heard you were supposed to be dead, Ganondorf. Or perhaps not, maybe I am simply confusing my stories. How many times HAVE you died, now, o demon king?"

"I said show yourself! I will not ask again!"

The voice moved in the shadows like a ghost. "Who are you to ask anything from me? Do you even have any idea who I am? I could be the Hero for all you know! Now, I will ask again: How many times have you died?"

"I do not answer to you. I am the Demon King, Demise incarnate!" The Triforce of Power began to glow violently upon the back of Ganondorf's hand. "Leave me before I destroy you!"

"Are you trying to raise those two old witches AGAIN? You are so predictable, Ganondorf. Is it any wonder you've been locked away repeatedly and killed… How many times, now?"

"Who are you that you -"

"Oh, shut up with the monologuing! That always gets you into trouble, at least, from what I've seen. I just asked you a simple question, and all you can do is bellow about how powerful you are… Blah blah blah, Triforce this, blah blah Essence of Din that… I only want to know one thing, and then I will leave you. So I will ask you once more: _How many times have you died_?"

"I have died once. I did not care for it. Now leave me."

"Thank you. Was that so hard? I will leave you to your work, then."

"Hmph."

"Oh, one last thing before I go, though. A matter of curiosity, if you will."

"What?"

"What do you plan to do with all that power on your hand?"

Ganondorf's sneer grew wider. "... Domination. I will dominate the kingdom of Hyrule. I will kill that princess who ensnared me. I will destroy that mewling whelp who weakened me. I will kill the sages that killed me. And when they are gone, I will dominate the kingdom of Hyrule and conquer the rest of the realm. It is mine to be controlled."

"Ah, so the story remains the same for you, then. Doesn't it get old after a while, doing the same things over and over again?"

"I grow tired of your chatter," Ganondorf snarled with fury. "Either leave me like you said you would, or face your destruction." He raised his right hand in the air, displaying the source of his power.

"Fine, fine. Don't get your sandy undies in a wad. Just… one last thing." The shadowy voice trailed off and the room suddenly went pitch dark. Even the fires lit at the feet of the twin tombs were snuffed out.

All at once the room exploded with light. The tombs behind Ganondorf cracked and vapors of blue and red swirled across the room. In a blast of ice and fire, the two witches, Koume and Kotake, materialized in the center of the room.

"Ganon, is that you?" said Koume.

"Of course it's him, you old crone," quipped Kotake. "Who else always ends up reviving us?"

"Oh, it's good to see you again, son!" exclaimed Koume.

"I was going to say that!"

"Well, you waited too long, like you always do! You've gotten slow in your old age and death!"

"I'm still young enough to show you what's what!"

As the two old witches bickered back and forth, a small figure stepped into the light. His demeanor looked unsettlingly kind, and he continued to speak with a soft but sharp voice as he addressed Ganondorf directly.

"You didn't think you were the only one with power in this realm, did you?"

"Ganon, dear, who is this boy? Do you want us to -"

Ganondorf slit his eyes in suspicion. There certainly was something unnatural about this unimposing person. Yet he had found Twinrova's Mausoleum in the midst of the Gerudo Desert; he had approached the demon king without fear; and he had just resurrected the witches with seemingly little effort. He dropped his shoulders and said softly to the witches, "No, that will not be necessary."

"Good man! I knew you would be willing to hear me out! Now, have I got a deal for you! You've always been a powerful man, Ganon...dorf… Wait, is it Ganon, or Ganondorf, I have never been able to figure that one out. Doesn't matter! What DOES matter is the fact that you have all this power, and yet it always seems to go sour for you, doesn't it?"

Ganondorf remained silent.

"I know it. It is embarrassing, trying so many times to take over the kingdom, and always getting foiled by this kid! Don't worry, though, because I've got it all figured out! See, Ganon...dorf… you've always been an agent of discord. You sow dissention! Think about it! Out of all the times you've successfully infiltrated the kingdom, how many times have you actually gotten people on your side? And I'm not talking about your skeletons or creepy mummy-zombie things, because those wretched little beasts send the WORST message. You end up having to do everything yourself, and you end up having to fight all these different kinds of people: Hylians, Zora, Gorons… Even Kokiri! Kokiri, Ganondorf… All of those put together are too much for any one man - or demon king - to handle! No, you need to get people on your side, and simply flexing your big green muscles are not going to do it. You need to show something else… And I have the answer." The small man smiled a great smile.

"And what is it, little man?"

"Ah. That's where things get a little bit complicated. See, with all the things I've seen and learned, probably the biggest thing I've learned is that you and your kind can't really be trusted all that well. I know that it'll only be a matter of time before you try to kill me for some reason or another, and then there will be this nasty falling out. You'll say things, I'll say things. The truth is, I'm not really into lover's quarrels, so here's what needs to happen: you need to agree to work for me, answer to me… basically do my bidding, and I will GIVE you Hyrule."

Ganondorf's face contorted into a raging grimace, and he took a step forward, his shadow eclipsing the small man before him, still smiling as he drew closer. He raised his right hand, Triforce of Power burning bright. "You want me to work for YOU?! I DO NOT WORK FOR ANYONE BUT MYSELF! I AM THE DEMON KING OF HYRULE, AND I WILL NOT KNEEL IN FEALTY BEFORE ANYONE! I WILL HAVE MY KINGDOM, AND YOU WILL DIE FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"

The small man shook his head and sighed. "So angry! I had a feeling you might react this way, so I took the liberty of making sure I had a little _leverage_." The small man raised his left hand and flicked his wrist in a little circular motion. Suddenly the two old witches lurched toward the small man as if a large invisible hand had gripped them both and had them in its clutches. The small man sat down on the floor, placed his hands together by interlocking his fingers, and plopped them down onto his lap. The twin witches, Koume and Kotake, hovered just above his head, unable to move.

"Put me down, you little -"

"Just wait until we get out of here!"

"We will show you double trouble!"

"Double... Dynamite…"

"Ladies, ladies," the small man interrupted. "There's no need to get all bent out of shape. I simply want to present an opportunity to your beloved son here… if he will hear me out."

Ganondorf stopped and lowered his hand. Of all the rage in his heart, all the blackness in his soul, he could not bear to see his surrogate mothers hurt. They raised him, taught him to be king. They supported him in every conquest, even so much as to give their lives for him. He could not hate them as he did everyone else. He loved them. So he stopped, and crossed his arms in defiant defeat. "Speak."

"I knew you would be interested!" Suddenly the small man's smile disappeared. "Now, all I need you to do… is kneel… and serve me." His unblinking eyes met Ganondorf's gaze.

Ganondorf looked up at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity. He was a king; he did not bow. He was powerful and prideful, but this small man had an amount of power as well, but how much he could not say. He looked back down at the small man, then down at the floor. He felt as though he started to kneel, but his legs, and his upper lip, stiffened in pride.

The small man began nodding in acquiescence. "I know. This is tough for you. You're used to being a king over a large group of people. I'm being mean, aren't I? Holding these two dear old ladies hostage and asking you to capitulate to someone you could probably crush in those big meaty biceps of yours. I mean, these ladies have been like your eyes and ears for the last several years, haven't they? They see everything and report back to you, even going so far as to guard the temple of your people from interlopers. You couldn't ask for better guardians, in my opinion. I'll even bet they gave you all these little pearls of wisdom to help you become a better ruler to your people; little nuggets for you to remember. I know how important those relationships are! Why, my parents taught me so many lessons, I could never repay them! They always told me these little silly anecdotes, which I thought were banal at the time, but I came to appreciate the wisdom in what they told me. One of my favorites was this little proverb: 'In the land of the blind…'"

Ganondorf gasped and lurched forward. "NO!"

"... the one-eyed man is king." The small man lifted his left hand and flicked his wrist in a little circular motion. Suddenly, Koume let out a blood-curdling scream of terror and pain and exploded in an eruption of flame. Then she was gone, leaving only Kotake, her icy sister behind.

"Koume!"

"Mother!" Ganondorf dropped to his knees and dropped his head into his hands. He wept. Not many moments passed before he looked up between his fingers at the small man, rage in his eyes. He jumped up from the floor and lunged at the small man. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

The small man flicked his wrist and Ganondorf was magically stopped in his tracks. The small man stood, flicked his wrist again, and stood Ganondorf upright on the floor of the temple. He walked over to the demon king, and got right underneath his chin. Looking up at Ganondorf, the small man quietly spoke: "You have so much anger inside of you. It burns in you like fire. You need to let it go, Ganondorf, or it will destroy you. I have seen more than you can imagine. I have learned more than you can fathom. I have visited places even you wouldn't believe exist. I can help you… I can give you Hyrule... if you can let that fiery rage go and help me in return."

Nearly paralyzed, Ganondorf replied, "How can you promise such a thing even I have never been able to attain?"

"Ha, HA! I am SO glad you asked!" The small man took a step back, and with a great grin, immediately went right back under Ganondorf's chin. "You show me yours, and I'll show you mine."

The small man flicked his wrist yet again, and Ganondorf's Triforce of Power began glowing brightly on the back of his hand. It glowed so bright it began to burn Ganondorf's entire arm. He squirmed in a pain he had never felt before.

"Ah, there it is," said the small man. "The Triforce of Power, the Essence of Din herself. Don't worry, I'm not going to take your Triforce of Power; that's what makes you so special to me." The man grinned a wide grin.

"Besides, I already have some."

The small man raised both of his hands so that they were in front of Ganondorf's face. On the back of his hands, glowing brightly, were two complete Triforces: Wisdom, Courage, and Power. A full Triforce on each hand.

"Now kneel. Serve me. And win Hyrule."

Ganon was released from his hold. He looked up at Kotake, still held by an invisible force. He looked back down at the small man smiling up at Ganondorf with what seemed to be excited expectation. Ganondorf's shoulders once again dropped. He bowed his head, and he knelt before the small man.

"I will serve you, my lord. Now, what do you require of me?"


End file.
